The Fratellis – Costello Music

We can assume there’s no one in the Fratellis named Fratelli. It’s better to think of the trio as a musical gang, kind of like the Ramones, but smarter … and Scottish.

In this 12-track debut, the guitars stay up past 11, the tempos start and stop on a dime, and the tunes are big and anthemic, taking in everything from Lennon/McCartney to Strummer/Jones and The Specials, and spewing it out lovingly.

However, they’re not out to save the world and they haven’t written any heartfelt protest anthems. If you’ve heard “Flathead,” which is used in the current iPod television campaign, you get the gist: tales of late-night antics, debauchery and misadventure all sung in unison, giving the impression of being in the coolest punk club in Glasgow.

“Costello Music” is an almost impossibly energetic debut from a group that finds itself in the odd position of proving its live shows are as good as its recordings.’Tory Troutman